


Avatar:Prisoners

by Soulzen05



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: AtLA, Firebending & Firebenders, OCC - Freeform, Prisoners, Violence, Waterbending & Waterbenders, Work In Progress, muggle
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-02 09:46:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18808675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Soulzen05/pseuds/Soulzen05
Summary: The prisoners of war at the end of the 100 year war, their lives, imprisonment, freedom, and revenge.The characters are all occ and separate from the avatar and his party. While the events still take place around the same time.





	1. Chapter 1

No bending, those were the rules. No fire, earth, or water. Breaking the rules got you solitary for a week in the sun, bread, a cup of water, thirteen hours in the hot sun. There were always new prisoners being shipped in every two weeks or so to replace the others, the ones who could not work, the old, the ill. Just tossed aside to die and buried by those who work with them side by side, and almost as quickly forgotten. Not me, I was always moving one step in front of the other; unfinished work always pushing me forward whether I was sick, tired, dehydrated, even the few days I almost died. But pushing forward to work these war camps.  
The days were long, even though the sun made me stronger and at the end of the day with the moon sapping my strength made it all the more easier to fall asleep. Day after day, for months on end. The food and water is just enough to not die but not enough to sustain our strength, makes it easier to limit resistance. There have been a few instances, each one aided by us other prisoners who are desperate enough to risk our lives, always ending with the leader beaten, hung and used as an example. Always killed by more cowardly prisoners or poor execution.  
The longer you survived the more hope you lost with each passing day, each botched revolt, each dead body. It was madness.  
They arrived off a shipment truck together, Doro and Fen. Doro was a lost cause straight from the start vacant eyes and a sickly face. Fen didn't have a care, not for the wardens "welcome" speech, not for the others, and not particularly for the restraints. The guards found out when removing them all, they were not amused. The new prisoners were put straight to work with the rest of us, no rest for the all mighty fire nation. We worked. All of us from dawn to dusk everyday. Doro did the light work with the old and young, no sense killing her early.Fen did the heavy work, sometimes side by side with me.  
It was the first week they were there, during lunch. Doro still very much weak and stumbling from the days work; Fell over onto Lee. If there's one thing you don't do it's bother Lee, who needs to feel important, so he feels the need to be distinguish himself from anyone else. Lee has always had to retaliate, and his crew was itching for someone to fight. They fell in a ring around Doro in seconds, throwing her around. It seemed to strike a cord with Fen, because the next thing anyone knew the ring had been broken with two guys face planting to the ground. Doro fell to the ground only to be grabbed up by Lee, to take another punch. Fen took on Lee's crew by surprise, but they had regrouped to fight. I made my way over behind Lee; This was not fair five on one, Doro was not even fighting. This had to stop. Only one way to do that, I put my hands together and extended them towards Lee hurling a decent sized burst of fire right at him. He let out a pain soaked shriek as the fire struck his shoulder; everyone stopped Lee's gang, Doro, Fen, the prisoners, the guards. Then the guards finally did their job and grabbed me up. Bending in the prison, my one way ticket to solitary.  
One week, that's how long you get for bending in the prison. I spent eleven before being released, I guess they wanted to use me as an example, but got tired of me eating without working. Out of solitary and straight back to work. That day was not easy, one loaf of bread for eleven days and then hours of heavy manual labor. I almost passed out twice, but I had made it to lunch. I grabbed my potato and cabbage soup and scarfed it down. By the time I was finished I was joined by the local troublemakers. "I'm sorry you had to save me" It was Doro, she spoke softly looking at the ground. "You did help, setting Lee on fire" Fen piped in. "Lee deserved it, that's all." I informed the both of them. Doro spoke up again "He did, but you didn't have to step in, so thank you. I saved you some extra lunch." she pulled out a small bowl of rice. I took it and ate it as fast as the soup. I thanked her and returned the dishes to the kitchen, both of them in tow.  
"If you really want to thank me, I'm gunna need your help." They both looked at me curious. "With the lack of food I've eaten, I could really use some more. And I think the guards could stand to donate from their feast." Fen looked open to the idea, whereas Doro was completely nervous. "It certainly would make us even." That was enough to get Doro to come around.  
We waited in our bunks for the right time. I wanted it to be dark. We needed to wait for the guards to make their rounds. Needed to sneak around the camp to the mess hall, which was not made to be easy. The guards, the stable animals, the lights. We wait until the moon is high, and we navigate our way around our "camp." Sneaking around the isn't difficult as the lights and guards are focused on the outside, that doesn't mean we're careless. We cling to the sides of the prisoners' barracks and quickly brace the guard's barracks making sure the lights don't catch us. The guards have the windows propped open for the summer nights air to keep them cool no doubt. They are drunk and talk, rather loudly about an offensive on the water tribe. We make our way around the building, but stop due to a squabble of soldiers playing a game of cards. We double back and head up along the communications building. Inching quietly as we move past the stables; the animals are sleeping heavy, but we don't need to spook them. Last building between us and the mess hall is the captains quarters. We start a rapid walk clinging to the ground; the door swings open and the captains' guards exit. We quickly cling to the edge of the building and wait in heart pumping silence. They stand just outside, door closed.  
"Here I snuck this from my time back at home" the first guard says.  
"What's that? have you been hiding out on me" inquires the second  
" Just some famous firebrand wine."  
"What's the occasion?"  
" I've just had one of those days, watching his royal majesty, being treated like his little errand boy, on the other hand my oldest just finished training and officially joined the ranks."  
"Congratulations, here's to hoping he makes it better than his old man."  
"Ill drink to that." the two guards drink there wine and proceed to their barracks.  
We proceed to the mess hall, staying all the more weary with our near miss, and get ready to infiltrate what stands before us and our feast. we open the window. there is no sign of anyone inside grabbing a midnight snack, so we hop inside and make our way to the back kitchen where the guards food is kept. we grab what could be considered a small pack and stuff some canned beans, fresh vegetables, and a bit of dried meats. we fill the bag and they start towards our entrance. I take a detour to a cabinet and try the lock but its not use, I start to give up when Fen appears startling me and I pause to compose myself in the face of this shock. Fen pulls out something thin and the lock pops open. Useful. After the lock comes free Fen moves back towards the exit, guess the cabinet isn't all that interesting. I remove the lock and open the doors of the captains cabinet, his supply cabinet includes sweets, liquor, a few bags of smoking leaves, documents... I grab two of the many bottles and a few leaves; I replace the lock and join the others. Doro asks what I have, "a truce" I reply.  
We sneak our way back through the camp, past the captains quarters, the stables, the communications room, around the guards room and that's when all peace is broken. "Over there!" a guard shouts. The other guards shout the lights all go up, both inside and out. The guards all try to see something beyond the camps edge. That's when I realize we've still yet to be spotted I grab the others and we bolt for the barracks, we close the doors just in time to avoid reinforcements arriving to watch the camp. Some of the others are starting to wake and we disperse to our beds I stash my haul under my blanket, I trust the others to follow my lead and I close my eyes and let sleep take me.


	2. Chapter 2

I wake up the next morning, my haul still under my straw pillow. Best to leave the bag here, though unguarded. As I make my way though the barracks there are loud whispers of the camp being scouted by a group of waterbenders. The first sight outside proved the rumors right. Two waterbenders, apparent from their blue attire, their bodies hung down the camp walls by ropes, their heads completely removed and impaled on spikes above. A grizzly sight for anyone. We make our way to our work, everyone solemn and grim. Fen and I were working on metal-like parts, gears and pipes and the like. Doro was working on the building materials, making lumber and moving stones. We work until lunch and sneak off to the barracks, empty. I grab my bag and toss Doro a mango, which she repays with a confused look.  
"Thank you," she says unsure.   
"You've both earned it," I say tossing one to Fen, who nods in turn.  
I eat my bowl of rice and eat some of the dried meat; The best thing I've eaten since I came here.

"It would be foolish of us to steal more from the guard's rations, don't want to draw suspicion," I say.  
Doro look disappointed, she could use the extra food.  
"We will have to wait until next month. The guards get supplied every two weeks, we'll want to grab them the week after they get the second shipment. That'll help us avoid the inventory check they do before and after getting the shipments and be the least noticeable." I say finishing my food.  
Doro seems to agree to what I'm proposing.  
" I'm tired of living like this eating scraps and sleeping in the dirt. It isn't fair and I propose we stack the odds in our favor." I inform them.  
"well I say we liberate some supplies, we'll need them to survive," Fen finally speaks.  
"Which is why this stays between us, we can't get enough for everyone and we cant trust anyone," I state.  
Doro doesn't look comfortable with that fact but does not protest. Fen gives a curt nod.  
"That being said I need to bring Lee one of the bottles I stole." I say  
"But we can't trust him, he'd betray you," Doro protests abruptly.  
"We can't trust him, but I need to make a truce. Lee is not the kind of person we want as an enemy. I also need to trade the pipe leaves."  
"So much for not trusting anyone," Fen snarls.  
"We need to do this, and the only reason we need a truce with Lee is because you to started a fight with him in the first place." I shoot back.  
"He started that fight," Doro chimes in.  
"A fight you quickly finished by shooting a fire at him," Fen adds.  
"Which I did to save both of you. And now I'll burry the hatchet," I finish.   
They nod and we head back to work. We work until dinner and then we work until bed, I sneak ahead to the barracks first and sneak the bottle and smoking leaves out. Lee and his gang were outside, behind their barracks. They stiffen as I approach, and Lee looks angry.   
"I'm not here for a rematch," I state.  
"That's too bad, I wouldn't mind repaying you for my scar," Lee sates  
"You all ganged up on them, wasn't much of a fair fight," I replied coolly.  
"True, but they started it," Lee fires back.   
"And I'm here to finish it, don't retaliate and leave us alone." I speak.  
"And why should I," Lee inquires.  
I pull out the bottle and show it to them. "A new bottle of famous firebrand wine."  
"Having that is reason enough for solitary, that would be reason enough for me turning you in. Why shouldn't I?" inquires Lee.  
"You could but then the bottle would be gone to. Think of it as me buying you off. That's how your crew worked before here isn't it. Drink it, sell it, I don't care, just take it and we're even. Besides that scar will help make you look tougher once we leave here." I say with a grin.  
"Fine," he says taking it. "But you'll have to do something else, we cant stay here locked up to die; When you break out you have to take us with you."  
"And what makes you think I'd be breaking out?"  
"You've always helped in the past riots, helping them memorize the patrols, telling them the best way to do it. I even heard you were the reason for the last one going bad. Regardless the two successful ones were because of you, and we want to get out with you." Lee finishes.  
I stare at him, I can't trust him. Lee could betray us but right now we need him to not get in our way. " Fine, but we won't be breaking out for months, I need time if we want to all make it out alive."  
"Months?" Lee asks.  
"Like you said, I helped with the successful ones which took time, a year and a half."  
"Fine, but you'll be bringing us with you," Lee says satisfied.  
I nod and walk back to our barracks.  
I walk over to Vex.   
Her eyes were a blue that reflected the color of the ocean, completely contradictory to the dull metal and broken dirt that filled the camp. Her brunette hair cut to a short practical length so as not to get in the way. Vex had been resourceful since she got here, making her important.  
She shot me a grin "You look like you need something."  
"You know people so well." I shot back, imitating her grin.  
"The day after the camp was attacked, careful someone might think you are plotting something," she advised.  
"Attacked? By who?"  
"Well ice and tattered blue remains indicates water tribe. Though they weren't very successful. Two dead and they left or so I'm told," she divulges. "The guards are on edge anticipating a revolt, so why are you here?"  
"I need information in the months to come, I'll pay you as usual, I need anything important."  
"Information on the camp and guard movements, sounds like your trying to set up another escape. They've always failed in the past what are you planning, to run towards the arms of the water nation warriors for safety. You always were better than that."  
"I'll get out and walk my own path, i will not cowar behind anothers protection, otherwise I wouldn't risk leaving at all," i state flatly.  
"And that I do know. As for payment?" she inquires.  
I extend to her the bag of smoking leaves knowing it's enough.  
She takes the bag and nods.  
"I'll be back soon" I state before turning to leave.  
With two people I've set things in motion to change my future. A future I fully intend to shape myself.


End file.
